Doctors tell us to manage our own health with proper diet and exercise. In my many years dealing with the healthcare system, I've never had a medical doctor suggest that I meditate. Perhaps meditation falls into the spiritual realm of reality for many people.

I know for a fact that meditation affects my mental, physical and spiritual well-being. I have always considered myself a whole being not a person who began as different parts that were put together. My mental, physical and spiritual health are all affected by whatever choices I make.

Consistent meditation has changed how I think and feel. I would like to stress the word consistent because I practice meditation on a daily basis. Each day is different depending on the practice session. I started by staying seated on the couch for five minutes and am now meditating fifteen to twenty minutes each session. I do not have any requirements for myself with regards to meditating. This has given me a sense of ease about meditation that I would not otherwise have. My continuing practice of meditation has changed me as a person.

Meditation is teaching me to let go of rigidity and structure and open my mind. If I follow specific guidelines for meditation, it defeats my purpose. I cherish the quiet time and just sit with my eyes gently closed and allow any thoughts to flow like a river. I do not meditate at a specific time. If I don't practice in the morning, I practice when I can. This has made me more flexible about other patterns in my life. I am disciplined without a rigid sense of time and order.

This quality time spent with myself has given me an awareness of life and clarity that I was not aware of before meditating consistently. Focusing has become easier and I have a calmer acceptance of life's events. The quality of each meditation session is what is important to me and I do not focus on the quantity. This is true in my life as well. The quality of experiences has become more important to me than the length of time spent experiencing the event.

We all make time for work, family, friends and everything else that life offers us. Now I am making time for my well-being which I cannot put a price tag on. I am more grounded, happier and do each day with a much more positive outlook because of consistent meditation.